Kalanchoe plant named &#39;Forever Maxi Neon Rose&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant name ‘Forever Maxi Neon Rose’, characterized by upright, dense and uniform plant habit; freely branching growth habit; numerous dark cherry rose-colored flowers; and excellent post-production longevity.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Plant PatentApplication No. 60/603,806 filed Aug. 23, 2004, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

‘Forever Maxi Neon Rose’

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoeblossfeldiana, and hereinafter referred to by the varietal name ‘ForeverMaxi Neon Rose’. The new variety is a product of a planned breedingprogram conducted in Lompoc, Calif. The purpose of the breeding programwas to create earlier flowering cultivars with large flower size andfull flower clusters over the top of the plant. The new variety wasselected from a seedling population which originated from across-pollination of a proprietary selection of Kalanchoe blossfeldianaidentified as code number 98-109-2, not patented, as the female seedparent with a proprietary selection of Kalanchoe blossfeldianaidentified as code number 96-182-2, not patented, as the male pollenparent. Comparisons between the new variety and its parents cannot bemade, as the parental varieties no longer exist. The cultivar ‘ForeverMaxi Neon Rose’ was discovered and selected in a controlled environmentin Lompoc, Calif. Asexual reproduction of the new variety by terminalvegetative cuttings has shown that the unique features of this newvariety are stable and reproduced true to type in successivepropagations.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Forever Maxi Neon Rose’.Characteristics that distinguish ‘Forever Maxi Neon Rose’ as a new anddistinct cultivar from others known to the breeder include:

1) Medium height;

2) Good lateral and basal branching;

3) No heat delay with night temperatures of 22° C.;

4) Flower color of 53C to 57B;

5) Large flower size of 20 mm;

6) Excellent post-production longevity; and

7) Early to flower, flowering 9 to 9.5 weeks after start of short daytreatment.

Plants of the new variety can be compared to plants of the Kalanchoecultivar ‘Forever Maxi Orchid’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,413.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lompoc, Calif., plants of thenew variety differed from plants of the cultivar ‘Forever Maxi Orchid’in the following characteristics:

1) Flower color of the new variety was 53C to 57B, whereas the flowercolor of ‘Forever Maxi Orchid’ was 63B;

2) Flower size of the new variety was 20 mm, whereas the flower size of‘Forever Maxi Orchid’ was 18 mm;

3) Time to flower in the summer from the start of short day treatmentfor the new variety was 9 to 9.5 weeks, whereas the time to flower for‘Forever Maxi Orchid’ was 9.5 to 10 weeks;

4) Leaf color of the new variety was 147A, whereas the leaf color of‘Forever Maxi Orchid’ was 147A with a reddish cast to the leaf edges of181A; and

5) Leaf shape of the new variety is ovate with crenate margins and largeshallow lobes, whereas the leaf shape of ‘Forever Maxi Orchid’ is ovalwith almost dentate margins that are shallow lobed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographic drawing illustrates the newvariety, with the colors being as nearly true as is possible to obtainin colored illustrations of this type.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The cultivar ‘Forever Maxi Neon Rose’ has not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length and lightintensity. However, there is no variance in genotype.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants were grownduring the late winter through early spring of 2003 in Lompoc, Calif.,in a corrugated polycarbonate-covered greenhouse with 30% shadecovering. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 20 to 22° C.; night temperatures ranged from 16 to 18° C. and lightlevels averaged 4000 foot candles of light. Rooted cuttings were plantedin 15 cm containers and received long day/short night conditions (morethan 14 hours of light) for about three weeks; plants then receivednatural short day/long night conditions (minimum 14 hours darkness)until flowering. Plants were about 11 weeks from the start of the shortday/long night treatment when the photograph and the description weretaken.

Propagation

-   Type cutting: Terminal vegetative cuttings.-   Time to initiate roots:    -   -   Summer.—About 10 days at 21° C.        -   Winter.—About 12 days at 21° C.-   Time to produce a rooted cutting:    -   -   Summer.—About 21 days at 21° C.        -   Winter.—About 21 days at 21° C.-   Root description: Fine fibrous, freely branching, moderately dense    and grayed white in color.

Plant Description

-   Form: Upright, uniform and dense plant habit. Freely flowering with    numerous compound cymes. Inverted triangle; mounded crown.    Appropriate for 10 to 15 cm containers; vigorous growth habit.-   Plant height at flowering: 18 to 20 cm.-   Plant diameter at flowering: 20 to 22 cm.-   Branching habit: Freely branching habit; typically 10 to 12 lateral    branches develop per plant. Pinching (removal of terminal apex) is    not required but will enhance lateral branch development.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 8 to 16 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 3 to 4 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1 to 1.5 cm.        -   Aspect.—About 35 to 40° from vertical.        -   Strength.—Very strong.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—146C.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 7 to 8 cm.        -   Width.—About 6 to 7 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Acute to rounded.        -   Margin.—Crenate, large shallow lobes.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Coriaceous, glabrous, and            succulent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: 146B. Developing            leaves, lower surface: 146C. Fully expanded leaves, upper            surface: 147A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 147B.            Venation, upper surface: 147A. Venation, lower surface:            147B.        -   Petiole length.—About 12 mm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Petiole texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Petiole color, upper surface.—147A.        -   Petiole color, lower surface.—146A.

Flower Description

-   Flower type and habit: Single flowers arranged in axillary compound    dichasial cymes. Freely flowering; more than 30 flowers per lateral    branch and more than 250 flowers per plant. Flowers not persistent.    Flowers not fragrant. Flowers face mostly upright.-   Natural flowering season: Plants of the new Kalanchoe initiate and    develop flowers under short day/long night conditions or during the    late autumn/winter/early spring. Flower initiation and development    can also be induced under artificial short day/long night conditions    (at least 14 hours of darkness).-   Time to flower: Under short day/long night photoinductive    conditions, about 9.0 to 9.5 weeks are required. Actual time to    flower is primarily dependent upon temperature and light intensity.-   Post-production longevity: Excellent post-production longevity;    plants maintain good foliage and flower substance for at least four    weeks under interior environmental conditions.-   Flower diameter: About 2 cm.-   Flower height: About 1 cm.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Shape.—Oblong.        -   Length.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Width.—About 4 mm.        -   Color.—146C, towards apex, 61B.-   Petals:    -   -   Quantity.—Four fused at base.        -   Length.—About 9 mm.        -   Width.—About 8 mm.        -   Shape.—Ovate to rounded.        -   Apex.—Cuspidate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous, smooth, soft.        -   Color.—When opening, upper surface: 53C. When opening, lower            surface: 55B. Fully opened, upper surface: 53C to 57B,            fading to 67A. Fully opened, lower surface: 64C.-   Sepals:    -   -   Quantity.—Four fused at base.        -   Length.—About 6 mm.        -   Width.—About 4 mm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Rounded.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous, smooth.        -   Color.—Immature, upper surface: 146D. Immature, lower            surface: 146D. Mature, upper surface: 146C. Mature, lower            surface: 146C.-   Calyx:    -   -   Shape.—Cupped.        -   Length.—About 10 mm.        -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.-   Peduncles:    -   -   Length.—About 2 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.        -   Angle.—About 45° from vertical.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—146C.-   Pedicels:    -   -   Length.—About 3 mm.        -   Diameter.—About 1 mm.        -   Angle.—About 45°.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—146B.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Quantity per flower: Eight. Anther shape: Elliptic,            flat. Anther size: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: Yellowish            green. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Yellow.        -   Pistils.—Quantity per flower: Four. Style length: About            4 mm. Style color: 146D. Stigma shape: Flat. Stigma color:            White. Ovary color: 146C.        -   Seed.—Quantity per ovary: More than 100. Length: Less than            1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new variety have not been    observed to date to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Kalanchoes.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new variety have been observed    to tolerate low temperatures of 10° C. and high temperatures of 35°    C.

1. A new and distinct variety of Kalanchoe named ‘Forever Maxi NeonRose’ as herein described and illustrated